Ruto drives himself after viewing 2023 WRC shakedown

Kenyans on Wednesday witnessed an exciting side of President William Ruto.

Unlike other days when the President is chauffeured, Ruto took the wheels himself.

The President was seen driving himself after viewing the 2023 WRC Safari Rally shakedown.

Ruto donned a full safari rally regalia and a cap.

This is even as the country is about to witness ultimate speed and precision in the high-adrenaline action after Ruto flagged off the 2023 WRC Safari Rally in Naivasha.

This year’s entry list has 10 top-level Rally1 Hybrid cars, 11 WRC2 runners plus a five-strong WRC3 line-up which has the three-car Kenya KQ/Safaricom trio of McRae Kimathi, Jeremiah Wahome and Hamza Anwar.

Four Kenyan drivers Evans Kavisi, Nikhil Sachania (both of Team KCB); Minesh Rathod and Josiah Kariuki (Subaru) are listed in the national category.

Other 11 drivers have signed up to contest in the KNRC Safari Rally category, where local championship points will be up for grabs.

They are current KNRC leader Jasmeet Chana, Issa Amwari, Amman Shah, Natasha Tundo, Edward Maina, Gerald Maina (G Captain), Andrew Muiruri, Kay Wachira, Jennifer Ayietsa, Pauline Sheghu and Tinashe Gatimu.

Kalle Rovanperä and Sébastien Ogier —winners of the previous two editions—will both field Toyota GR Yaris cars along with Elfyn Evans and Takamoto Katsuta, the Japanese star and twice a podium finisher in Kenya. 

Hyundai Motorsport has entered a trio of i20 N’s for Esapekka Lappi, Thierry Neuville and Dani Sordo, while Ott Tänak, Pierre-Louis Loubet and privateer Jourdan Serderidis will pilot M-Sport Ford Pumas.